BRITISH BIRDS. 1 79 
of creft behind. The Letter Crefted Lark of Pen- 
nant and Latham is perhaps only a variety of this ; 
the difference being trifling. It is faid to be found 
in Yorkfhire. 
The Lark commences its fong early in the 
fpring, and is heard molt in the morning : It rifes 
in the air almoft perpendicularly and by fuccefiive 
fprings, and hovers at a vail height ; its defcent, 
on the contrary, is in an oblique direction, unlefs 
it is threatened by birds of prey, or attracted by its 
mate, and on thefe occafions it drops like a Hone. It 
makes its nett on the ground, between two clods of 
earth, and lines it with dried grafs and roots ; the 
female lays four or five eggs, of a greyifh brown 
colour, marked with darker fpots ; fhe generally 
has two broods in the year, and fits only about fif- 
teen days ; as foon as the young have efcaped from 
the lhell, the attachment of the parent bird feems 
to increafe ; fhe flutters over their heads, directs 
all their motions, and is ever ready to fcreen them 
from danger. The Lark is almoft univerfally dif- 
fufed throughout Europe ; it is every where ex- 
tremely prolific, and in fome places the prodigious 
numbers that are frequently caught are truly afto- 
nifhing. In Germany there is an excife upon them, 
which has produced, according to Keyfler, the fum 
of 6000 dollars yearly to the city of Leipfic alone. 
Mr Pennant fays, the neighbourhood of Dunftable 
is famous for the great numbers of thefe birds found 
N 2 
